PACIFIC COAST FISHERY ECOSYSTEM PLAN FOR THE U.S. PORTION OF THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL 7700 NE AMBASSADOR PLACE, SUITE 101 PORTLAND, OR 97220 (503) 820-2280 (866) 806-7204 WWW.PCOUNCIL.ORG JULY 2013 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ECOSYSTEM PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM Ms. Yvonne deReynier, Chair (NMFS/NWR, Seattle, WA); Dr. John Field, Vice-Chair (NMFS/SWFSC, Santa Cruz); Mr. Michael Burner (Council Staff, Portland, OR); Dr. Larry Gilbertson, (Quinault Fisheries, Taholah, WA); Dr. Melissa Haltuch (NMFS/NWFSC, Seattle, WA); Dr. Samuel Herrick (NMFS/SWFSC, La Jolla, CA); Dr. Phil Levin (NMFS/NWFSC, Seattle, WA); Mr. Joshua Lindsay (NMFS/SWR, Long Beach, CA); Dr. Andrew Leising (NMFS/SWFSC, Pacific Grove, CA); Mr. Corey Niles (WDFW, Montesano, WA); Ms. Cyreis Schmitt (ODFW, Newport, OR); Dr. Richard Scully (IDFG, Lewiston, ID); Ms. Deborah Wilson-Vandenberg (CDFW, Monterey, CA); Dr. Lisa Wooninck (ONMS, Monterey, CA); with legal counsel from Mr. Judson Feder (NOAA/GC, Long Beach, CA). The Ecosystem Plan Development Team and the Council staff express their thanks for the expert assistance provided by: Ms. Anna Holder, Ms. Caroline McKnight, Ms. Melanie Parker, and Mr. Eric Wilkins of CDFW; Mr. Peter Hassemer of IDFG; Mr. Colby Brady, Dr. Peter Dygert, Dr. James Hilger, Dr. Isaac Kaplan, Ms. Debra Lambert, Ms. Peggy Mundy, Ms. Elizabeth Petras, Dr. Lauren Saez; Ms. Barbara Seekins, Mr. Jerry Sutton, Ms. Sarah Towne, Dr. Waldo Wakefield, Dr. Brian Wells, and Dr. Mary Yoklavich of NMFS; Mr. Robert Jones and Ms. Sandra Zeiner of NWIFC; Ms. DeAnna Erickson, Ms. Arlene Merems, Mr. Patrick Myrick, and Mr. Derek Wiley of ODFW; Mr. Edward Hibsch of PSMFC; Ms. Heather Reed and Mr. Eric Kraig of WDFW; Mr. Brian Corrigan, Mr. Daniel Hardin, and Ms. Peggy Murphy of USCG; Mr. Dave Hillemeier of Yurok Tribe Fisheries; and numerous other agency and tribal personnel in completing this report. The Ecosystem Plan Development Team and the Council staff also express their thanks for the expertise and guidance provided by the 2010-2013 members of the Ecosystem Advisory SubPanel: Mr. Merrick Burden, Mr. Paul Dye, Mr. Ben Enticknap, Ms. Kathy Fosmark, Mr. Steven Fukuto, Dr. Terrie Klinger, Mr. Geoff LeBon, Mr. Don Maruska, Mr. Scott McMullen, Mr. Nate Stone, Mr. Dan Waldeck, and Mr. Frank Warrens. All of the images in this document were either created for the document or are used by permission of or (if a government agency) by citation to the image’s owner. Images herein that are credited to a particular individual or to a business may not be reproduced for use elsewhere without express permission of the image’s owner. Images herein that are credited to a government agency may not be reproduced for use elsewhere without providing appropriate credit to that government agency. FEP cover image: Blue Marble: Next Generation, Reto Stöckli, NASA Earth Observatory This document may be cited in the following manner: Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2013. Pacific Coast Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the U.S. Portion of the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, Oregon 97220-1384. A report of the Pacific Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award Number FNA10NMF4410014. Pacific Coast Fishery Ecosystem Plan ii 2013 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ACL annual catch limit AM accountability measure AP advisory panel CalCOFI California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations CCE California Current Ecosystem, or California Current Large Marine Ecosystem CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife (formerly CDFG, for “. and Game” CFGC California Fish and Game Commission CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Council Pacific Fishery Management Council CPS Coastal Pelagic Species DLCD Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development DPS Distinct Population Segment (under the Endangered Species Act) EAS Ecosystem Advisory SubPanel EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone EFH Essential Fish Habitat ENSO El Niño/Southern Oscillation EPDT Ecosystem Plan Development Team ESA Endangered Species Act ESU Evolutionarily Significant Unit (under the Endangered Species Act) FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (of the United Nations) FEP Fishery Ecosystem Plan FMP Fishery Management Plan HAB Harmful algal bloom HAPC Habitat Area of Particular Concern HCR Harvest control rule HMS Highly Migratory Species IEA Integrated Ecosystem Assessment ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea IATTC Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission IPHC International Pacific Halibut Commission ISC International Scientific Committee (of the WCPFC process) JMC Joint Management Committee (of the U.S./Canada Pacific Whiting Treaty process) JTC Joint Technical Committee (of the U.S./Canada Pacific Whiting Treaty process) MLPA Marine Life Protection Act MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act MPA Marine Protected Area MSA Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act MSY maximum sustainable yield MTL mean trophic level nm nautical miles NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NMS National Marine Sanctuary NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ODFW Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife ODSL Oregon Deparment of State Lands OPRD Oregon Parks and Recreation Department PacFIN Pacific Fisheries Information Network PDO Pacific Decadal Oscillation PICES Pacific ICES; formally, the North Pacific Marine Science Organization PSMFC Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission RCA Rockfish Conservation Area RecFIN Recreational Fisheries Information Network SAFE Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (Reports for Council FMPs) SSC Scientific and Statistical Committee SST Sea surface temperature U&A Usual and Accustomed (fishing areas, of Treaty tribes) U.S. United States of America USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service WCPFC Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission WDFW Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WFWC Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Pacific Coast Fishery Ecosystem Plan iii 2013 Contents 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Need ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 How this Document is Organized ................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Schedule and Process for Developing and Amending the FEP and the Ecosystem Initiatives ..... 2 1.4 State-of-the-Ecosystem Reporting ................................................................................................ 3 2 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................. 4 3 California Current Ecosystem Overview .............................................................................................. 6 3.1 Geography of the Ecosystem ........................................................................................................ 6 3.1.1 General Description and Oceanographic Features of the CCE ............................................ 6 3.1.2 Major Bio-Geographic Sub-Regions of the CCE ................................................................. 8 3.1.3 Political Geographic and Large-Scale Human Demographic Features of the CCE ........... 12 3.2 Biological Components and Relationships of the CCE .............................................................. 15 3.2.1 Biological Components ...................................................................................................... 15 3.2.2 Species Interactions ............................................................................................................ 27 3.3 CCE Abiotic Environment and Habitat ...................................................................................... 31 3.3.1 Geological Environment ..................................................................................................... 33 3.3.2 Water Column Temperature and Chemical Regimes ......................................................... 37 3.3.3 CCE Vegetation and Structure-Forming Invertebrates ...................................................... 38 3.3.4 Human Effects on Council-Managed Species’ Habitat ...................................................... 43 3.4 Fisheries of the CCE ................................................................................................................... 51 3.4.1 Historical CCE Fisheries .................................................................................................... 51 3.4.2 Current Fisheries ................................................................................................................ 56 3.4.3 Fishing Communities.......................................................................................................... 82 3.5 Fisheries and Natural Resource Management in the CCE .......................................................... 88 3.5.1 Council Fisheries Management .......................................................................................... 90 3.5.2 Tribe and State Fisheries .................................................................................................. 102 3.5.3 Multi-State, Multi-Tribe and State-Tribal